


A Hero for Nobody

by wittykitsune



Series: Kit's HSWC Writings [5]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-12
Updated: 2013-09-12
Packaged: 2017-12-26 09:47:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/964503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wittykitsune/pseuds/wittykitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A BBR fill for HSWC 2013. </p>
<p>Dave is worrying about not being a hero and Karkat's worried about being not worth anyone's time or effort.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Hero for Nobody

**Author's Note:**

> "You are nobody's hero. And nobody needs you. Desperately."   
> -The Defender of the Forgotten, I Wrote This For You

Dave walked the long dark halls of the meteor with head lowered and his mind far from the halls. He fingered the hilt of his sword and let out a soft sigh before turning into his room and placing the weapon on his alchemized nightstand. He looked in the mirror for a moment before picking it back up and shifting into a battle ready stance. He drew back his arm and aimed for the mirror, but he thought better of it and placed the sword out of sight in his sylladex. He drew his hood over his head and returned to the halls, walking quicker and in silence. The sword felt awkward and unwanted, alien to him even, but he accounted it to his tiring of training and lack of desire to step up and put in the effort to take charge of preparations or even plan on taking down the new big bad himself.

He pulled his iPhone and considered pestering Rose just to have someone to talk to but thought better of it and slumped against the wall and plugged a set of beetle shaped ear buds into it. He turned his playlist up in an attempt to drown out the thoughts and memories. Fear attempted to seep through but he pushed it aside. There was no time for fear, no time to hesitate, not once fighting began again. Rose had her own shit to deal with and probably was in no state to help. Inebriated Rose would only serve to make him feel even less useful and far more helpless. 

He began his roaming again with no goal or destination in mind. He chose pathways and turns by how he felt at that particular moment or by some cue from the song. He glanced around when he tired of the music and saw the multitude of glass tubes that told him he was in the room hold the assortment of dead shit from the troll’s session. At least he hoped most of it was dead considering how many of them appeared to be monsters.

He spotted a small dark form huddled behind one, curled almost out of sight and trembling slightly. The empty useless feelings ebbed and were replaced with the desire to help the small upset troll before him. He touched Karkat’s dark hair very gently first and ran his hand down it and to a shoulder. He rubbed lightly and watched as he slowly uncurled to look at him. He wondered if Karkat could see his teary dejected eyes reflected in his shades and wondered if that’s why he quickly averted them or if perhaps it was shame over being found this way. 

“What’s wrong?” Dave pulled a handkerchief from his sylladex and wiped Karkat’s face gently, pausing the movement to let him blow his nose. “Need to talk about it?”

“You’d be wasting your time on nothing. Go find some more useful activity to use your effort on and leave me here to rot in my own self-loathing.” Karkat made a low noise that Dave guessed was his attempt at a growl but he was too hurt to make a proper one and it instead sounded like whistling huffs.

Dave yanked him close and ran a hand up and down his back. “It’s my time to waste and I can’t think of a better way to pass it.” He held him closer when Karkat clung to him. He felt the ill feeling in his stomach ease and he lifted Karkat gently up. Karkat made another huffing sound but buried his face in Dave’s shoulder and continued to hold on. 

They entered Dave’s room and he set the troll down on his makeshift bed before yanking the pillows and sheets off and tossing them in a clear corner. He left the room for a moment and soon returned with and armload of cushions and pillows from the alchemizer. Karkat watched silently from the bed, the corners of his eyes still pooling the pinkish tears. 

Dave kicked off his shoes and flopped down on it, arms open and inviting. Karkat gnawed at his lower lip before removing his shoes and heading to join him. He curled into Dave’s side and buried his face into him; a mumbled thanks the only sound he made. Dave rested his chin between the pair of nubby horns and began to rub his back again. Slowly but surely Karkat began to relax beside him, his breathing becoming normal and the sniffing ceasing. When a low purr began Dave couldn't help smiling and he continued to pet his hair and back even when he’d dozed off. He wasn't sure he could save anyone in the coming conflict but he was sure he could at least for a time save Karkat from himself.


End file.
